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Frei Named To 2008 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List

BERKELEY - California keeper junior Stefan Frei has been named to the 2008 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List, as announced today by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). Considered the highest individual honor in intercollegiate soccer, the recipients of the MAC's Hermann Trophy are selected by Division I head coaches who are current members of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Frei is one of 48 NCAA men's soccer players to make the first list. A list of 15 semifinalists is selected by a coaches committee in November, with three finalists announced in early December. They will invited to the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, Mo., for a news conference on Jan. 9, 2009, where the winner will be announced, with a presentation banquet following.

Frei was recently named by College Soccer News as one of its 'Players to Watch in 2008.' For the 2007 season, Frei was named by the NSCAA as a first-team All-American and selected to the NSCAA Far West All-Region first team. He also earned All-Pac-10 first-team honors and was selected the Pac-10 Player of the Week for his performances against Washington and Oregon State on Nov. 9 and 11, respectively. The Widnau, Switzerland, product earned his eighth and ninth shutouts of the season to guide Cal to its second straight Pac-10 championship that weekend. Frei served as the team's keeper for every minute of the year. He ended the year leading the conference in save percentage (.850), saves (91), saves per game (4.55) and shutouts (9). In Pac-10 contests, Frei also led all keepers in goals-against average (0.68).

The Bears open their season against UC Riverside on Friday, Aug. 29, at 2 p.m. at Edwards Stadium. The following week, Cal will be joined by Stanford, SMU and Cornell in the Cal Legacy Classic at Edwards Stadium. Cal will face Cornell Friday, Sept. 5, at 4 p.m. and SMU Sunday, Sept. 7, at 2:30 p.m.